Link ejection system



March 18, 1958 D. P. GROVER LiNK EJECTION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 11, 1956 INVENTOR.

Donald. F- Gran/1:1

BY .waazwmwwflew ifzurne ys.

March 18, 1958 D. P. GROVER 2,325,962

- LINK EJECTION SYSTEM Filed Sept. 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v /777 /7' f7 77 /7 f I INVENTOR. ED111116. 1 EI'TUVET LINK EJECTION SYSTEM Donald P. Grover, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application September 11, 1956, Serial No. 609,330

1 Claim. (CI. 89-33) My invention relates to a recoiling gun supplied with cartridges by an ammunition beltand provided with a feeder and more particularly to a device for guiding the ammunition belt from the gun.

A revolver-type automatic gun supplied with cartridges from an ammunition belt is provided with a unit slidable in a recoil cycle on a support. The links of the ammunition belt are directed through the gun by a feeder disposed on the recoil unit for removal of the cartridges from the belt, and the links are conveyed to a port in the recoil unit by the feeder. Each of the links includes an intermediate portion for engagement with connectors for assembly in the belt and transverse slits adjoining the intermediate portion.

An object of my invention is to provide a device to guide the ammunition belt from the gun.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for guiding the links from the recoil unit to an exit port secured to the support for ejection of the links from the gun.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device disposed for flexing responsive to operation of the recoil unit.

Other aims and objects of my invention will appear from the following explanation:

In carrying out my invention, a device for guiding the links of the ammunition belt from the feeder is provided with a pair of members provided with ports for passage therethrough of the links and respectively secured to the feeder and the support. The device includes guides for retaining the links therebetween including a plate substantially extending between the members and a pair of tracks secured therebetween for engagement with transverse slits in the links. The tracks are resiliently disposed to flex responsive to operation of the recoil unit.

For a more complete understanding, reference is directed to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear view of a gun incorporating an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with the recoil unit in battery position;

nited States Patent "ice Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the recoil unit in a rearward position; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view along line 44 of Fig. 3.

Accordingly, a gun 12 includes a recoil unit 16 disposed on a support 14 for slidable reciprocal operation responsive to discharge of cartridges in the gun. Recoil unit 16 is provided with a feeder 18 for directing an ammunition belt 20 therethrough to supply cartridges to the gun. Belt 20 includes links 22 provided with cars 24 intermediately disposed thereon and transverse slots 26. Ears 24 are joined by connectors 28 for flexible engagement of the links in belt 20.

A guide 32, provided for conducting the ammunition belt from the gun, includes a spaced pair of similar flanges 34 and 36, respectively, secured to feeder 18 and support 14, and the flanges are provided with similar ports for passage therethrough of ammunition belt 20. A flat plate 46 is secured to flange 36 to extend substantially to flange 34, and a pair of parallel tracks 48 extend between slits 50 in blocks 52 respectively secured to flanges 36 and 34 for engagement with slots 26. Plate 46 and tracks 48 are spaced to guide belt 28 therebetween and tracks 48 are disposed to flex responsive to the reciprocal operation of recoil unit 16.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claim is intended to include such variations.

I claim:

In a gun disposed on a support for discharge of cartridges from an ammunition belt, a recoil unit slidably disposed on the support for reciprocation responsive to the discharge, and a feeder in the recoil unit for direction of the ammunition belt therethrough responsive to the discharge, the ammunition belt being provided with connected links having spaced transverse slots, a conducting device comprising a guide with a pair of flanges respectively secured to the recoil unit and the support and provided with a pair of ports for passage of the cartridge belt therethrough and transverse slits, a pair of tracks disposed in said slits for engagement with said slots to provide for said passage of the cartridge belt, and a plate secured to said recoil unit flange to extend substantially between said flanges'and retain the cartridge belt in engagement with said slots, said tracks being slidable in said slits for flexure thereof responsive to the reciprocation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,459,147 Burgess Jan. 18, 1949 2,466,893 Holton Apr. 12, 1949 2,568,229 Gardes Sept. 18, 1951 

